Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-12
HOW LIT CAME ABOUT.
The Movement that Resulted in To.
days Ceremonies.

Ine movement which resulted in the ceremonies
to-day and added another Statue to the ornaman; s
OF Washington had It's beginning on the day Presi-
dent Garfield died. The society OF the Army OF
tao Cumberland. OF which Gen. Garfield was 4
bright and conspicuous member, had met in an
nual reunion at Chattanooga, Tenn 1t was
meeting OF special interest, as the ex-ConfedeTateS
OF that region In which the Army OF the Culnbcr-
land fought its battles and won its fame had
united in an invitation to the Society to hold It's
reunion in their midst. They wanted to meet the
men they had fought On so many battleGelds in
social intercourse. Gen. Garfield heartily ap-
proved OF this reunion OF soldiers OF both sides,
and had promised TO be present; but lie was
stricken down by the assassin's bullet, and the
Society, on the Gay OF its assembling. received the
news OF his death.
THE FIRST SUGGESTION
or stone In commemOratlOn OF Gen. GARFIELD was
contained In the following telegram from Cen r.
q Nssey, OF this city, to the Society In session at
Chattanooga: washington members propose
Inemorial-stone TO Gen. Garfield In Washing ton
Monument by our Society,"" This dispatch was
dated September II, 1881, and the suggestion was
promptly adopted by the Society. Tne Tennessee
members offered block or Tennessee marble for
The purpose, and nnaily the duty OF having 1t pre-
pared and sent to Washington was committed to
Gems. Il. Wilder, Houk ana Pcttibone, OF Tennes-
see COZ. Casey, When consulted about the matter,
said that instead OF block OF marble thin Slab
or tablet containing the inscription wanted, had
better be forwarded, and that he would have it set
in the monument, a: the height it had reached
when Gen. Garfield died.
A MONUMENT COMMITTEE.
At the session of the Society, and Immediately
after the reading OF Gen. Mussey'S dispatch in re-
gard to the memorialstone, Lieut.. John B. Ruhm,
OF Nashville, submitted resolutions which were
adopted, providing that committee o. nine be ap-
pointed 10 report plan for the erection OF
monument and to collect subscriptions.
The monument committee, appointed by the
president OF the Society consisted or the following
members: JAS. Barnett, chairman; Henry NJ. Cist
secretary; H. c. COrbin, treasurer; W. 4. Robin.
COOK, JnO. B. Ruhm, and A. B. Underwood This
committee began operations inme llately. The
conmittee proposed Washington as the place OF
the Society at the meeting held at M1lwau-
kee In 1882 AT the next annual meeting,
reported that the design prepared by Mr. j. o. A.
Ward, the eminent sculptor, had been ACCEPTED
and that the pedestal and Statue would cost $50 600
at Rochester, n. Y, in the fall OF 1854. At that
meeting the monument committee reported that
the amount Of money collected for the monu-
ment and subject to the order OF the Society was
$50 O39 Is. That included the interest up to date
the committee also reported that Congress had
appropriated $50, 600 toward the monument which
SUN was in the hands OF the Government account
ing officers; also, that Congress had appointed a
commission to select site for the monument
The report asserted that the commission would
soon be able to report the acceptance OF work OF
art TO the committee and creditable to
the Society.
THE CONTRACT MADE
This report was accepted. The next annual re-
union, held in Grand Rapids, Mich, in 1885, the
Garfeld Monument Committe reported that q con-
tract had been closed with Mr.. j. @ A. Ward the
artist OF the Society," for the erection OF the statue
and that the work was progressing satisfactorily to
the committee; that the commission designated by
Congress to select a site had chosen MARYLAND CIR
Gle, ut the head OF Maryland avenue, opposite the
House OF representatives, on the west Side OF the
Capitol; that the commission appointed by Con-
gresS had made contract with Mr.. Ward for the
erection OF o PEDESTAL This anticipation was not
realized The statue was not finished by the time
fixed for the meeting OF the Societ last fall, IL
was decided to defer the meeting until the statue
was completed and ready to be unveiled. Gen.
Sheridan, the president, was authorized to con-
vene the Society for the unveiltng exercises.